Frederick Chettle (aka Frederick Rodney Chettle) 1829 – 1893

Frederick Chettle born 1829 first born child of George Rodney and Ann is another one of my Chettle ancestors who has left a mark on history through events in their life and he also poses us many intriguing questions.

Having been born in Leicester, Frederick grew up and was married in London and he would have been what we refer to as “Streetwise” today.

In 1851 Frederick is living with his future (first Wife) Jessy Caroline Tomkies at 2 Elcom Terrace in the borough of Finsbury, St Pauls Parish Islington. They have 3 daughters all born in London and then in 1860 he suddenly moves his family to Rothley in Leicestershire where we know from the census that his address is 9 Woodgate Rothley Leicestershire and from the fascinating newspaper article below we know that he arrived there in February 1861.


In 1862 Fredericks Wife Jessie Caroline Chettle dies and is buried in Welford Road cemetery September 3rd 1862 aged 34. In 1865 (aged 35) on July 13th 1865 Frederick married Hannah Elizabeth Armstrong (from Rothley) at St Mary de Castro, Leicester. After the Marriage the 3 Daughters from Fredericks first marriage went to live with his Sister Ann Jane Chettle at 35 Burgess Street, Leicester.

Frederick and Hannah have two children, in 1866 Grace Chettle at Rothley, Leicestershire, and on January 16th 1869 Frederick William Chettle at Rothley, Leicestershire.

In 1868 Frederick was still in living in Rothley and kept a beer house which was in fact his house and the story below that appeared in the Leicester Chronicle and Advertiser on December 19th 1868 only a month before his son Frederick William was born:

The reasons for Frederick being in Portsea are unknown and we believe that there is a bigger story to be told about Portsea and Portsmouth. The connection in that Robert Chettle born 1768 (also known as Robert Chittle and served aboard HMS Temeraire) also lived in Portsmouth and George Rodney's Wife Ann was living in a cottage in 1841 with her newborn Son, in a tiny village called Catisfield in Fareham so there has to be as yet an undiscovered connection. There are also numerous Chittle families living in Portsea in 1891 and Frederick does start to call himself Frederick Chittle.

On the 1871 census Frederick & Hannah appear living at 22 St John St Clerkenwell, London. Frederick is listed as a Hairdresser. Their 2 Children were living with their Grandparents, the Armstrong Family at 6 North Street, Rothley, Leicestershire, so clearly the lure of London had taken him back to where he knew best, however Hannah Chettle his Wife we know cam back to Rothley and died in 1875.

On April 17th 1875, Hannah Elizabeth Chettle dies and is Buried on 22nd April at Rothley. She died in North Street aged 46. Her death was registered by Ann Ballard, who was present at her death, not by Frederick Chettle, whose occupation was given as Hairdresser. It is believed that Frederick was back in London at the time of Hannah’s death.

Until recently not much was known about Frederick after 1875. However we now know that on the 1881 census Frederick Chettle aged 51 is listed as a Greengrocer at 139 Walmer Road Kensington. He was living with an Annie Chettle who was listed as his Wife but no record has ever been found of a marriage and her place of birth is written as Wingfield Hants.

We now know that Annie Chettle was not his Wife at all but she was a Chettle by birth and is probably related albeit distantly.

Annie Marie Chettle was born in Frome in June 1843, the daughter of William and Mary Chettle. In 1851 Annie is living in Trowbridge on the Wingfield Road (in 1881 Annie gives her birth place as Wingfield). In 1861 Annie Chettle is still residing in Trowbridge.

In 1871 Annie Chettle turns up living on Bassland Road in Hackney that is only a few minutes walk from Neville Road in Hackney where Frederick Chettle also lived.

In 1881 Annie Chettle is living with Frederick Chettle in Walmer Road, Kensington.

In 1891 Annie Chettle is living with Frederick Chettle in Portsea, Portsmouth and Fredericks Granddaughter Maud. Maud is the daughter of Fanny Chettle.

The reasons for Frederick being in Portsea are unknown and we believe that there is a bigger story to be told about Portsea and Portsmouth. The connection in that Robert Chettle born 1768 (also known as Robert Chittle and served aboard HMS Temeraire) also lived in Portsmouth and George Rodney’s Wife Ann was living in a cottage in 1841 with her newborn Son, in a tiny village called Catisfield in Fareham so there has to be as yet an undiscovered connection. There are also numerous Chittle families living in Portsea in 1891 and Frederick does start to call himself Frederick Chittle. Whilst in Portsea Frederick is declared Bankrupt on February 29th 1892. The article second below appeared in the Evening News Thursday August 11 1892 showing that the debt was paid in full.



Frederick Chettle died in 1893 aged 63, April 29th at 35 Nevill Road, Stoke Newington, London. His death was registered by his Daughter, Caroline Ellen Ford, whose address was 17 Castle Street, Stoke Newington. His Daughters, Jane Agnes Rogers, Frances (Fanny) Emily Chettle and Caroline Ellen Ford are all named on the purchase arrangements for the grave.

Frederick Chettle was buried as Frederick Rodney Chettle (during his lifetime he occasionally used his Fathers middle name Rodney) on Thursday 4th May 1893 in Abney Park Cemetery Stoke Newington, London. There was no further mention of Annie Chettle with our own Chettle family after Frederick’s death. However we have discovered that:

On the 1901 census Annie is single and living in Wandsworth, place or birth is Warminster.

On the 1911 census Annie is listed as being aged 74 unmarried and living in Hemel Hempstead.

In 1922 Annie Maria Chettle dies in Southwark aged 80.

There is still a mystery over the finances of Frederick Rodney Chettle as his name appears below in a lost of wills with a large figure of £658.10s.1d being given to a Richard Stevens Commercial Traveller and we have no idea who this Mr Stevens was! This was a huge amount of money in 1893.




The Grave Stone of Frederick Rodney Chettle in the Gothic Wilderness of Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, London.



 
 
 
  2024 Chris Chettle